STEPHANE GRAPPELLI (violinist) was born January 26, 1908 in Paris, France and passed away December 1, 1997. The virtuosic “ gypsy jazz” and swing violinist is best known for his association with Django Reinhardt’s Quintette du Hot Club de France of the 1930s. After a residency in Britain during World War II, ( and working with a young George Shearing) Grappelli returned to France and reconnected with Reinhardt. Aside from extensive touring he recorded with Jean Luc Ponty, Stuff Smith, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Gary Burton, Roland Hanna and Barney Kessel. In 1997 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.